First-Year Transition Seminars

Courses to begin your journey

A strong start helps new students get the highest value from their college experience, both in and outside the classroom. That’s the philosophy behind EDGE 181 and 182, the two-course sequence that helps all entering students make a seamless transition to RMC!

Led by an Academic Success Advisor and with an Advising Captain serving as a peer mentor, the EDGE course series combines professional expertise with authentic student perspective. These courses are an interactive cohort experience designed to help students navigate college successfully, develop a sense of belonging, and deepen their understanding of themselves and their long-term goals.

Curriculum of EDGE 181

The first semester of EDGE 181 introduces first-year students to their strengths, interests, and opportunities at RMC while helping them explore academic and co-curricular pathways. Through guided reflection, campus engagement, and skill-building in areas like time management and self-advocacy, students build confidence and a strong foundation for long-term success.

Curriculum of EDGE 182

This spring seminar builds on EDGE 181 by helping students refine their goals, explore majors and careers using well-established tools, and make informed academic and co-curricular decisions. Through engagement with campus partners, skill development, and a focus on holistic wellness, students create a clear, personalized roadmap for success at RMC.

Students in EDGE 182 react to a scenario as part of a Life Skills simulation activity in which they are asked to pick a profession and base a budget off of the salary.
Academic Success Advisor Maddie Smith calls on a student during a seminar session.
Each course is co-facilitated with the help of an Advising Captain, a student leader who helps each student cohort navigate their first-year journey.
A beloved tradition from the first-year experience is Banner Signing. Here, the Class of 2027 writes their signatures on the banner behind which they will process at their Commencement.

I came to RMC undecided, but in meetings with my Academic Success Advisor, and through some career activities, I discovered a passion for Criminology. I’ve declared a major and I now have a faculty advisor. I even completed my first internship after my first-year at RMC in law enforcement.
Sam Fender ’29